Has the new State Department edict requiring passports when returning from the Caribbean, Central and South America etc. finally gone through? They keep threatening but I can't tell from their website. It was to go into effect 1 Jan, 2007, and continuing to all US borders, including Canada, by 1 Jan, 2008.

It was signed into law years ago, so the question has been "Will they push it back again?"

As of right now, you will need a Passport to enter the US if you are flying in from Mexico or much of the Caribbean starting January 7th, 2007.

- A while ago it was pushed back a week, to January 7th, so the start date wouldn't start on a January 1st, a holiday.

Thanks - we have family coming for Christmas with little children who do not have their passports yet -

I believe it is also by water (cruise ship, ferry, etc...) - I'm not certain about land crossings (car, train, walking)!

So make sure your passport is up to date! If you need to renew, or even get one for the 1st time (most Americans don't even have one ), now is the time!

Land crossings will require a Passport as of January of 2008

From the US State Department website state.gov

http://travel.state.gov/travel/cbpmc/cbpmc_2223.html

The Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 requires that by January 1, 2008, travelers to and from the Caribbean, Bermuda, Panama, Mexico and Canada have a passport or other secure, accepted document to enter or re-enter the United States. In order to facilitate the implementation of this requirement, the Administration is proposing to complete it in phases following a proposed timeline, which will be published in the Federal Register in the near future.

In the proposed implementation plan, which is subject to a period of initial public comment, the Initiative will be rolled out in phases, providing as much advance notice as possible to the affected public to enable them to meet the terms of the new guidelines. The proposed timeline will be as follows:

January 8, 2007 - Requirement applied to all air and sea travel to or from Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Bermuda.

January 1, 2008 - Requirement extended to all land border crossings as well as air and sea travel.

This is a change from prior travel requirements and will affect all United States citizens entering the United States from countries within the Western Hemisphere who do not currently possess valid passports. This new requirement will also affect certain foreign nationals who currently are not required to present a passport to travel to the United States. Most Canadian citizens, citizens of the British Overseas Territory of Bermuda, and to a lesser degree, Mexican citizens will be affected by the implementation of this requirement.

The passport requirement will be in force for land crossings on January 1, 2008.

Mike

The Canadian Government, Cruise and the entire travel Industry is working on a full court press to either gut the law or make it happen some time in the 22nd Century. It is a good way to see if the big business can beat out the philosophy of homeland security.

My bet is on money over security. It will be gutted or delayed.

I hope you are right, but this time I don't think it will be pushed back.

My advice, if you are planning to travel out of the US next year, is to get your passport NOW.

agreed, what is the big deal, get a freakin passport already.